The Senate has approved the disengagement of Babatunde Irukera as chief executive and vice chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

This followed the approval of the request by President Bola Tinubu, seeking the Senate’s approval on the disengagement of Mr Irukera.

Mr Tinubu, in a letter dated January 30, asked the Senate to approve the disengagement.

The senate leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved the motion for consideration of the president’s request.

In his contribution, Seriake Dickson (PDP-Bayelsa) said that if there was an allegation of misconduct, then the Senate was entitled to know the totality of the facts of the alleged misconduct.

Osita Ngwu (PDP-Enugu) noted that though the FCCPC Act of 2018 has a section on misconduct, he, however, said that the President did not base the removal of Mr Irukera on misconduct.

“The President is not seeking the removal of the officer based on misconduct but on his inability to effectively perform his duty.

“It is not for the Senate to know whether he is performing or not; the President has the authority.”

In his remarks, Godswill Akpabio said that Mr Tinubu had the right to “hire and fire.”

“The President has the authority. We are all expecting the president to perform. The buck stops at his table. So if a person is not performing up to expectations, he or she can be removed.

“I urge this senate to approve the president’s request. In labour practice, whoever hires, can fire.

“And it is difficult to force a servant on a willing master as far as the law is concerned. But here, the provision is very clear.”

Mr Akpabio further said that the Senate’s job was to approve the request of the President and not to investigate it.

“The section of the law makes it very clear that a person can be removed for his inefficiency in performing his duties.”

(NAN)